He is lobbying the Government to protect the future of alternative medicine from new EU rules.… Read the rest
Welcome to our archive of news stories relevant to the project of fighting fashionable nonsense. The stories are drawn from the electronic pages of the world’s media. On this page, you’ll find links to those stories that have been featured on Butterflies and Wheels during the current year. At the bottom of the page, you’ll find links to separate archives of stories from previous years.
We’re always pleased to hear about news stories that you think should be featured on Butterflies and Wheels. Just send an email here, if you want to point one out to us.
A note about links
Inevitably links go out of date. We suggest, therefore, that you make hard-copies of the stories that particularly interest you.
Priest Apologizes for Swearing at Revenue Officials 
Dec 2nd, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The priest, a convicted tax evader, called them a ruder and more sexist name than the paper admits.… Read the rest
Jesus and Mo Know What God Wants
Dec 2nd, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The barmaid knows what Jesus and Mo want.… Read the rest
I Once Could See But Now I’m Blind
Dec 2nd, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
People stared at the sun at Knock; now they have solar retinopathy.… Read the rest
Nigerian Footballer Not Happy in Sudan
Dec 2nd, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Stephen Worgu was sentenced to 40 lashes in Sudan for drunk driving, would prefer to be in Europe.… Read the rest
Matthew Cobb Reviews Two Books on Evolution
Dec 2nd, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The very idea of evolution has been subject to a 150-year long offensive by a vast variety of religious thinkers.… Read the rest
Thomas Nagel Blurbs Intelligent Design Book
Dec 1st, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Nagel has blurbed Stephen Meyer’s Signature in the Cell as one of the books of the year for 2009.… Read the rest
John Lynch on Historians and Anti-evolutionism
Dec 1st, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Creationists are turning to history, and historians should get involved. Steve Fuller responds.… Read the rest
The Mighty Power of the Nocebo Effect
Dec 1st, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
If you expect side effects, the side effects turn up. Magic!… Read the rest
The Dodginess of Drug Company Trials
Dec 1st, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Is the conflict of interest unacceptable when drug companies conduct trials on their own drugs? Yes.… Read the rest
Who Is Actually Typing?
Dec 1st, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Videos show that Houben is often not even looking at the keyboard; this is a red flag.… Read the rest
Oh No, Atheist Bioethicists!
Nov 30th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Quick, panic! Americans don’t like atheists or bioethicists, and that’s all there is to say.… Read the rest
A Delusion With Sugar Is Still a Delusion
Nov 30th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The power of homeopathy is not in the pills but in the searching personal questions.… Read the rest
Flawed Swiss Vote Wasn’t Just ‘Islamophobia’
Nov 30th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Joan Smith notes that an argument about ideas has been displaced onto inanimate objects.… Read the rest
Libby Purves: Faith and Power Are a Bad Brew
Nov 30th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Once you are convinced that you alone hold the truth, you build rich hierarchies of obedience, and then circle the wagons to protect your artificial structure. … Read the rest
The Old ‘Mental Reservation’ Trick
Nov 30th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The church tells the press it co-operated with the Gardaí but it didn’t say it co-operated ‘fully’…… Read the rest
Murphy Report: the Rotten Core of the Church
Nov 29th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
After his ordination as a priest at age 23, Carney regularly sexually abused children. Job satisfaction.… Read the rest
Ireland: Hard to Know if the Church Can Survive
Nov 29th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Civic Ireland failed to stand up against princes of the Church who had ancient rights over people’s lives.… Read the rest
What Did Life of Brian Ever Do For Us?
Nov 29th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Current sensitivities make it highly unlikely that a comedy group would try making a film like Brian today. … Read the rest
James Randi on a Cruel Farce
Nov 28th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘Facilitated Communication’ is a clever Hans situation.… Read the rest
